Analysis of the Mirrorwork Methods and Motifs in the Historical Buildings of Isfahan City

Statement of the Problem: 

Mirrorwork is one of the delicate and productive arts related to architecture, which is created by putting together small and large mirror pieces. The mentioned array is usually used in the interior parts of various buildings, including sacred places, palaces, and residential houses, which besides the decorative dimension, also has important practical aspects. Traces of this art were observed in various buildings of the Safavid period, and its development and peak can be seen in the buildings of the Qajar period. In the current research, technical studies and content analysis of motifs and symbols of mirrorwork in fifteen buildings of Isfahan City have been carried out, according to the time frame. Therefore, the present research seeks to answer these questions: 1. What are the characteristics of the mirror work decorations in Isfahan from the Safavid period to the present? 2. What are the techniques used in the historical building of Isfahan?

This study aims to investigate the techniques and decorative motifs of Isfahan mirrorwork.

In the current study, the research method is qualitative and analytical. The data was collected using library sources and field observations.

According to the research conducted the most common mirrorwork from the Safavid period to the present is the embossed and semi-embossed mirroring technique, as mirrorwork on plaster. Also, concerning the motifs, the motifs of "Shamsa" and "mirror-frame" among the geometric and decorative medallions and "pot" among the plant category were found to be the most widely used. Among the motifs, "yellow lily flower" and "Motacilla" are among the local motifs related to the region of Isfahan, which were observed in Safavid and Qajar houses.